text:
The integration in TFS between Builds and Work Items is just too good. In this blog post I will describe a solution based on a TFS Server Plugin to have more fine-grained control on completed builds.
Completed builds may sometimes be more valuable for the development team and only a few of them will eventually be published/deployed for (public) Testing. This means that Testers (in theory) should only be able to log bugs against these particular builds.
There are two important fields on a bug work item which may point to a build: "Found in Build" and "Integrated in Build".
For both fields a value can be selected from a combobox. The values in the combobox are part of the global list for the builds in the active Team Project.
By default, ALL finished builds (failed + succeeded) will trigger the BuildCompletion event in the Team Project Collection and the accompanying Build Number will be appended to the existing global list for the builds in the Team Project. In Team Projects where a lot of builds are defined, this "Builds" global list will be flooded by superfluous builds which should never be selected for the above fields. CI builds for example should not be part of this global list. Only full builds which are deliberately transferred for testing should be searchable in the above comboboxes.
So, how to explicitly mark a build for "Testing"? This can be easily done with setting a Build Quality for a given build.
Note that people who want to modify the Build Quality should have the permission "Edit build quality".
Build Quality values can also be managed in a dedicated list.
By using a specific Build Quality value, it's also possible to create a TFS Server Plugin and to listen to a BuildQualityChangedNotification event and to only add the Build Number to the global list when the Build Quality is set to "Ready for Initial Test". Of course, the default event-subscription for the BuildCompleted event must be disabled and the existing global list should be cleaned.
This is exactly what I did. Only the Build Numbers of the builds that get a desired Build Quality ("Ready For Initial Test") will be pushed to the global list of the Builds in the Team Project.
When your team makes fully use of Microsoft Test Manager to file bugs, the "Found in build" field can be automatically set by associating particular builds to a Test Plan. Test execution can then be done against an approved build list. The "Integrated in build" field is normally automatically set by the build process which picks up a bug resolution through a changeset at check-in time.
Some more details how I did implement the customization of the global build list:
Delete the out-of-the-box event-subscription for the BuildCompleted event
The easiest way is actually to navigate to the event-subscription table via SQL Management Studio (tbl_EventSubscription in specific Team Project Collection database) and to delete the event-subscription row from there. But, that shortcut is not really recommended I'm afraid. A safer solution is to rely on the Bissubscribe command line tool ((executable can be found in :\Program Files\Microsoft Team Foundation Server 2010\Tools). Strange enough, there's no option to list the existing event-subscriptions, but there certainly is an unsubscribe switch to unsubscribe from an event-subscription. You will need the ID of the event-subscription. The only way to get this ID without having to write custom code on the TFS API is to get the ID from looking into the tbl_EventSubscription table in SQL Management Studio. Note that it's the Integer ID you will need instead of the GUID Subscriber ID.
Recreating this default event-subscription is possible through the command BisSubscribe /eventType BuildCompletionEvent /address http://:8080/tfs//WorkItemTracking/v1.0/Integration.asmx /collection http://:8080/tfs/.
Clean up the existing "Builds" global list
The global list of a Team Project Collection can be exported/imported with the witadmin command-line options or you can export/import a global list through the UI with the Process Editor from the TFS Power Tools.
You will be prompted to store the GlobalList.xml file after which you may edit the list. Delete as many ListItem entries as you want in order to clean up the Build list. This is the value list that will be used for the "Found in Build" and "Integrated in Build" fields.
Import the global list back to TFS via witadmin or the Process Editor.
To immediately witness the result, you may need to restart Visual Studio to clear the cache.
Activate the TFS Server Plugin for processing BuildQualityChangedNotification events
Since TFS 2010, it has become fairly easy to write custom event handlers that will run in the context of Team Foundation Server. It's a plugin (dll) that needs to be deployed on the TFS Application Tier. How to accomplish this is not well documented, but your best starting point would be to read Chapter 25 of the book Professional Team Foundation Server 2010. Grant Holliday – one of the authors – explains how the ISubscriber interface can be used for extending Team Foundation Server.
For my purpose I implemented the ISubscriber interface in my BuildQualityChangedEventHandler class. The Build Quality I will use in my example is "Ready For Initial Test". This action should append the Build Number to the Build global list of the Team Project.
Next task was to pick up the BuildQualityChangedNotificationEvent and to take action when the Build Quality was set to "Ready For Initial Test": export global list, append the current Build Number and import the list back to TFS.
That's it, build the assembly and drop it in the plug-in folder on all active TFS Application Tiers.
Setting the Build Quality to "Ready For Initial Test" does the trick and adds the Build Number to the Build global list for the appropriate Team Project.
As an extra, I also decided to keep the "Ready For Initial Test" builds indefinitely.
Controlling your builds with the Build Quality value in combination with a TFS Server plugin gives you a lot of power! The next step could be to trigger deployments off a Build Quality value …


text:
Cuthbert, Ga.–A local clergyman molested three boys in the course of one morning shift in the confessional box. On this subject, Pope Benedict XVI spoke publicly, however bluntly, when he told the press, "Join us or die." The spiritual leader then claimed to be pure energy, and compared himself to "the malevolent moon" whose gravity […]
Tag Archives: drugs
Horrible New Street Drug Craze
Please do not try, all you children, adults, and geezers. Oh yeah, and noise by elf wax.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Ethical Hacking, the practice of learning hacking skills to prevent cyber attacks, is a much needed and lucrative skill set. This comprehensive training bundle features 9 all-level ethical hacking courses worth over $600, but you can pick it up today for just $19.
This bundle gets you all the training you need to become a confident ethical hacker, with a bonus course on applying these skills to land a high-paying cyber security job. Here's what's included:
- Ethical Hacking for Beginners ($99 value)
- Learn The Basics of Ethical Hacking & Penetration Testing ($50)
- Ethical Hacking from Beginner to Advanced Techniques ($30)
- WebSecNinja: Lesser Known WebAttacks ($99)
- Automated Mobile Application Security Assessment with MobSF ($49)
- Build an Advanced Keylogger Using C++ for Ethical Hacking ($199)
- Linux Security & Hardening: The Practical Security Guide ($20)
- Cross Site Scripting (XSS) Attacks for Pentesters ($65)
- How to Build a $120,000/Year Career as a Web Penetration Tester ($70)
This bundle is already marked down from it's original $600+ price, but today you can grab it for just $19.
Become an Ethical Hacker: Save Hundreds On This In-Depth Training Bundle
Skillwise offers premium eLearning courses in development, design, IT, photography, business, and more. To be clear, this post is not editorial and we make money on sales.


text:
Pick 6: Biggest QB busts of the last 10 years
Ryan Leaf or Peyton Manning? That was the drama at the top of the 1998 NFL draft, with two seemingly elite quarterbacks in play.
Fortunately for Indianapolis, Manning was the pick, and the Colts eventually won a Super Bowl with him at the helm. Infamously for San Diego, Leaf didn't have the same makeup and quickly fizzled out of the league.
Two years ago, while Manning was on his way to winning the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year Award with Denver, Leaf was beginning a prison sentence for burglary and drugs. That's the extreme contrast of success and failure at this critical position, of course, but Leaf isn't the only high-profile quarterback whose struggles in the professional game significantly set back the team that drafted him.
Here are six of the biggest busts of the last decade, weighing actual performance, selection number and franchise impact:
JAMARCUS RUSSELL: By far the Leafiest pick since that fateful selection by the Chargers, Russell was taken by Oakland first overall out of LSU in 2007. After a 7-18 record as a starter, with 23 interceptions and only 18 touchdowns on his resume, Russell was overweight and out of the league three years later. The worst part for the Raiders, who have yet to find their franchise quarterback, is the list of other players drafted that spring among the top 15 picks: Calvin Johnson, Joe Thomas, Adrian Peterson, Patrick Willis, Marshawn Lynch and Darrelle Revis, to name a half-dozen potential Hall of Famers.
VINCE YOUNG: The third pick in the 2006 draft out of Texas, Young was at the forefront of the new wave of dual-threat quarterbacks to enter the league. The NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award winner for Tennessee and a two-time Pro Bowl pick, Young had more on-field success than many of his underachieving peers. But he had a falling out with the team, struggled to stay healthy, had off-field issues and has not appeared in an NFL game since 2011. The Titans used the eighth selection in 2011 on quarterback Jake Locker and still aren't close to being sure if this position is set.
MARK SANCHEZ: After two trips to the AFC championship game in his first two years in the league, Sanchez carried a nickname "Sanchise" that suggested long-term success with the New York Jets. But the fifth overall pick in 2009 out of USC was never able to cure his turnover problem, becoming an easy target for the tabloids in town, and his average of 6.4 yards per pass attempt in 2012 ranked 29th in the league. Last season he got hurt in preseason and the job went to rookie Geno Smith. Sanchez is now a backup for the Philadelphia Eagles after being released by New York.
CHRISTIAN PONDER: Following the retirement of Brett Favre, a deep crop of quarterbacks in 2011 offered several options for Minnesota with the 12th selection. Ponder, from Florida State, took over the job midway through his rookie year and improved enough in 2012 for the Peterson-driven Vikings to finish 10-6 and in the playoffs. But some of the warning signs of ill-timed turnovers and poor decisions under pressure that popped up in his first two seasons persisted last year, and he was eventually benched for Matt Cassel, leaving the Vikings looking anew in this draft.
BLAINE GABBERT: Two picks before Ponder, Jacksonville took Gabbert out of Missouri. The Jaguars didn't have much support for him at other positions, but he struggled to keep up with the pro-style offense and went a woeful 5-22 as a starter, with one touchdown against seven interceptions over three starts last season. He was benched for Chad Henne, a relative journeyman. The Jaguars are still searching for a long-term solution, and Gabbert has become a backup for the 49ers behind Colin Kaepernick, who was drafted in the second round that year.
BRADY QUINN: Somebody had to make this list on Cleveland's behalf. The 22nd pick in 2007, Quinn memorably tumbled down the board from top-of-the-draft projections, looking stunned and ashen as the television cameras captured his reaction each time a quarterback-deficient team passed on him. Quinn is 4-16 as a starter, and the St. Louis Rams last year were his sixth NFL team. The Browns have had as much trouble drafting and developing quarterbacks as any team, and by 2012 they were taking another would-be bust in the first round, Brandon Weeden, who has already been released after two seasons and now is with Dallas.
AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL


text:
A handful of local supporters talked with Congressional District 4 candidate Ken Buck this week at the Country Steak Out.
Buck, who is currently Weld County district attorney, was on seven-county tour of the plains doing more listening than talking in order to hear what residents had to say was important for the U.S. Congress to do, Buck said.
He was out in advance of the primary election which will be held on June 24.
Buck said he had heard about issues ranging from gun control to the Affordable Care Act to the economy.
Colorado State Senator Greg Brophy acted as a host for Buck as they crossed the plains. Brophy had run for the Republican nomination for governor, but did not make it past the state assembly.
Brophy said he supported Buck because he understands the real issues people face, the fiscal challenges of government and for Buck's ability to talk about the hard issues.
Also, Buck is committed to building up the conservative Republican movement, Brophy said.
Buck is someone "who has our values," and takes action, Brophy noted.
Buck said he is tired of over-regulation by government. He talked about seeing a baby-changing table in a rest room and noted it said not to leave a child unattended on it. Why do people need a warning for something so obvious, he asked.
It is important to reduce the reach of government and to return decision making to local and state government, Buck said.
He said he will focus on cutting spending, because he feels it is immoral to leave the federal debt to future generations. Cutting spending could also prevent government interference in general.
In response to a concern about illegal immigrants, Buck said that immigration reform is complicated, and the problem of illegal immigration continues to grow.
The U.S. needs to secure the borders and adopt solid employment verification systems, Buck said.
Immigrants sometimes use false identification to get jobs, and that can cause real problems, he said. For example, there are reports that some undocumented immigrants have claimed earned income tax credits for relatives that do not even live with them.
Identity theft is a serious problem, and he knows that firsthand, since Weld County is one of the top five cities in the U.S. for identity theft, Buck said.
Sometimes undocumented immigrants use false IDs from people who live in other states in order to get employment, he said.
The federal government needs to set up a reliable "e-verify" system for employers to use to identify who is eligible to work in the U.S. It might be valuable to tie such a system to a biological marker like a retinal scan to prevent misuse of ID, Buck said.
Only when that is done can the nation have a true debate over immigration reform, he said.
However, he does want to make sure that U.S. business has enough employees, and wants to shorten the time necessary for guest workers to receive green cards, Buck said.
Local agricultural producers need immigrant labor, and it should not take more than a week or two to issue employment authorization, he said.
It is not just farmers who need the help, Buck noted. Intel Corp. needs 1,000 people to make computer chips, and there are few Americans who want that work, Buck said.
He would work to increase the numbers of visas and decrease the time it takes to get them, he said.
Buck is also concerned about the Department of Veterans Affairs.
He said that many veterans are "literally dying" due to backlogs of care and long waiting lists.
Buck said there is no reason for the government to run the VA, when hospitals run their businesses efficiently.
In response to a question about government spying on U.S. citizens, Buck said the federal government needs to stop its surveillance of citizens. He also wants constitutional limits to apply to the use of drones in the U.S. Drones might be useful at the border, but their use should be a last resort within national borders, since there is the "possibility of abuse."
Buck said the militarization of law enforcement around the nation is a dangerous trend, and he certainly does not want drones to become a common weapon of law enforcement. That amounts to taking arms against the nation's own people.
He also supports U.S. energy independence, and wants to encourage domestic energy production. Lower-cost energy is part of getting the economy back on track, he said.
The Environmental Protection Agency needs to back off regulations of the use of "clean burning coal," Buck said.
Buck encouraged Morgan County residents to find ways to get the word out to support him. He noted that if the Republican Party could capture the U.S. Senate the U.S. House of Representatives could get its budget passed. The Republicans need to win an extra five Senate members to gain control of the Senate.
Contact Times News Editor Dan Barker at 970-867-5651 ext 231 or email@example.com Visit twitter.com/DanBarkerFMTime


text:
Borobudur is Hindu – Budhist temple. It was build in the nineth century under Sailendra dynasty of ancient Mataram kingdom. Borobudur is located in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia.
Borobudur is well-known all over the world. Its construction is influenced by the Gupta architecture of India. The temple is constructed on a hill 46 m high and consist of eight step like stone terrace. The first five terrace are square and surrounded by walls adorned with Budist sculpture in bas-relief. The upper three are circular. Each of them is with a circle of bell shape-stupa. The entire adifice is crowned by a large stupa at the centre at the centre of the top circle. The way to the summit extends through some 4.8 km of passage and starways. The design of borobudur which symbolizes the structure of universe influences temples at Angkor, Cambodia.Borobudur temple which is rededicated as an Indonesian monument in 1983 is a valuable treasure for Indonesian people.
Source : SMA Students' Modul of English written by Drs. Nofrin Anten. M.Pd


text:
The border crossing European cultural route, Sisi's Road, is approximately 2000 km long and is your guide to locations that played an important role in the life of the Empress of Austria and the Queen of Hungary. As a cosmopolitan woman, Sisi travelled all through Europe. Why not do the same?
Uncover the secrets of Sisi and her palaces! Combining all the wonder of fairy tales, dramatic, romantic nature and the grandeur of Europe's noble families, this enchanting route runs from Augsburg in the Wittelsburger Land to Füssen, through Austria to Budapest and then on to Italy, Greece and Switzerland. Sampling some Tokajer wine and cinnamon ice cream along the way will make for a truly majestic experience.
Elisabeth Amalie Eugenie of Wittelsbach
Elisabeth Amalie Eugenie of Wittelsbach (Sisi), the daughter of the Bavarian duke Maximilian Joseph and Ludovika of Bavaria, was born on 24 December 1837 and would later become one of the most influential, fascinating and beautiful women in Europe. She married the Habsburg emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria and was considered one of the most well-educated and interesting women in the world. But who was she really?
Reminders of Sisi can be found everywhere
Sisi's Road is a chance to get to know more about the beautiful and mysterious empress. Starting in Augsburg, the cultural route leads you through significant places of Sisi's youth such as "Sisi's Palace" in the village of Unterwittelsbach, her birthplace of Munich and the legendary Rose Island (Roseninsel) on Lake Starnberg. Continuing on from there, you can then visit the fairytale castle of Neuschwanstein near Füssen.
A life defined by happiness and self-doubt
A cosmopolitan woman, Sisi travelled throughout Europe to Bavaria, Austria, Hungary, Greece, the Adriatic Coast in Italy and to Geneva in Switzerland; it was here in September 1898 that her life came to a tragic end.
A gathering place for Sisi's admirers
Sisi's Road is a distinctive route through cities, spell-binding castles, memorials, interesting museums, gardens and parks that played a particularly important role in the life of this exceptional monarch and that continue to do so, even now over 100 years after her death. The route also plays host to a selection of hotels offering beauty and fitness packages inspired by Sisi and her beauty.
Length: 2000 km
Theme: the life of Queen Elisabeth of Austria
Augsburg: the Fugger family, puppet theatre, Elisabeth's brother's house (Wohnhaus Bruder Elisabeths), Maximilianstraße (historic street)
Aichach: Unterwittelsbach moated palace
Füssen: royal palaces
Possenhofen: Empress Elisabeth Museum, Lake Starnberg
Vienna: Hofburg Palace, Sisi Museum
Bad Ischl: Imperial Villa (Kaiservilla)
Gödöllö Palace
Merano: Trautmannsdorff Castle
Trieste: Miramare Castle
Corfu: Achilleion Palace
Geneva: Hotel Beau Rivage
Two useful shortcuts for using the zoom function of your browser:
Zoom in: +
Zoom out: +
For further assistance from your browser provider click the icon:


text:
Pac-12 Burning Questions: So… About Those Preseason Predictions?Posted by AMurawa on December 31st, 2012
With non-conference play all but wrapped up, we start to turn our attention to conference play this week. But, before we do we want to take a look back and see what we talked about prior to the season.
"We made a lot of predictions and bold statements prior to the season. Which prognostication did you nail and which did you completely whiff on?"
Adam Butler: I wish I'd had the stones to say things like "Jordan Adams will be UCLA's best player" or "Josh Smith will leave the Bruins" or "USC will utterly flop." No, on each of those insights I was sightless. I was the cool kid picking USC to overachieve and who was gobbling up Shabazz hyperbole like flavored vodka at a sorority house. I went out on the limb to say Arizona and Colorado would be good. I have said Spencer Dinwiddie would be All-Conference and, to date, he's held up his side of that bargain, and I still love his game when he shows up (although, zero points vs. Fresno?). The one thing I've nailed but I don't think it's been terribly bold has been that Mark Lyons, no matter what he did numbers-wise, was going to have an overwhelming effect on this Wildcats team. I think it's safe to say that he's been a lightning rod of attention and criticism and handled it all in stride, strides that have taken him straight to winning buckets against Florida and SDSU. Lyons brings a dynamic to Tucson that was sorely needed and he has not let them down. As for whiffs? I figured Washington would be better and that Oregon would be worse. I thought Jio Fontan would hover around conference POY talk and that Dewayne Dedmon would be a big surprise: fails. There's still time to play out but it's hard to say that any of those thoughts will right themselves in my predictive favor. And in that remaining time, I'm excited to see just what UCLA will do and how Arizona's freshmen bigs will develop within the routine of Pac-12 play. Moving forward, a few additional thoughts: Can Herb's team keep up their pace? No. Is Solomon Hill going to win the conference POY award? No (but he may be the MVP). Can Colorado be the second best team in the Pac? Yes. Will Stanford be better then their 8-4 record? Yes. Alas, predictions are meaningless but oh-so-fun.
Connor Pelton: Looking back on it, I made some interesting (to say the least) picks back in October. But I did nail a few of those, starting with the pick of Arsalan Kazemi as an All-Pac-12 performer. I was the only one to include the Rice transfer on my 15-player ballot, and he has answered by averaging 9.2 PPG, 10.4 RPG, and 3.1 SPG so far. In fact, if he had not had been so tentative shooting the ball at the beginning of the season, it is not a stretch to say he would not only be leading the team in rebounds but points as well. Another pick I am liking was that of Jonathan Gilling as an all-conference three-point shooter. Kevin and I were the only ones to include the sophomore on our lists, and he has proved us right by knocking down 30 triples, second highest in the conference. But the pick I am most proud of is selecting USC at 10th in the conference, while everyone else here had the Trojans sixth or seventh. The thing that made me so skeptical about USC at the beginning of the season was the question, "Where do the points come from behind Jio Fontan?" Some said senior forward Aaron Fuller, who's averaging a stellar 2.9 PPG. Case closed.
Now, onto the whiffs. While Chasson Randle hasn't had a great season, there is no question he should be second team All-Pac-12 right now. I did not even include him on my list of 15, opting instead for guys like Ricky Kreklow and Kaleb Tarczewski. Whoops. It is easy to look bad when projecting an all-newcomer team, and boy have I done that. I did not include Mark Lyons on my team, or Jahii Carson, or Josh Scott. Those guys are averaging 13.4, 17.9, and 12.5 PPG, respectively. As we move into conference play, the picks that are on the fence of good and bad will begin to clear up. Are the Buffaloes an NCAA Tournament team? I said yes in October, and I still think they are now. Can Washington rebound from an awful start and make the NIT? No. Can California win a big game? It has to happen eventually, right?
Time will answer everything, and before we know it, we will be filling out brackets and talking about surprises and snubs on Selection Sunday.


text:
It has been four months since her high-profile wedding, but marriage, it seems, has done nothing to quell Kate Moss's appetite for the party lifestyle.
The supermodel has returned to her hedonistic ways on a girls-only holiday to Jamaica, where even breakfast comprises three bottles of beer and several Marlboro Lights.
She jetted off to the Caribbean island with best friend Sadie Frost to relieve what she terms "marriage shock" - caused by the upheaval in her life since she married rock musician Jamie Hince.
The 37-year-old model was said to be in Jamaica looking for a holiday home, but house-hunting did not appear to be high on the agenda as she knocked back strong rum cocktails and danced until dawn at a beach party.
The images of her knocking back Red Stripe and Heineken lager early in the morning will disappoint those, including her own father, who thought marriage might tame her.
After one heavy night's partying, Kate - who has taken her nine-year-old daughter Lila Grace on holiday with her - emerged from her five-star, £750-a-night villa soon after 10am and began the day quaffing beer from the comfort of a beachside sun lounger.
"It looked like it was a case of hair of the dog," an onlooker said. "Kate came out of the villa in a scruffy green T-shirt and bikini bottoms and headed to the beach.
"She looked blotchy and worse for wear and knocked back three bottles of beer, which she washed down with Old Jamaica Ginger Beer. She sat smoking with a friend on another sunbed. Her daughter was by her side.
"She had enjoyed quite a big night, which kicked off with a soiree on their private veranda. The party drank three bottles of wine before heading over to the beach for a barbecue.
"They partied for hours and Kate obviously had to sleep it off.
"Sadie was up bright and early to take the kids to breakfast before doing an hour-long yoga session."
Kate and Sadie, who took her 10-year-old daughter Iris on the break, have been staying at a boutique beach hotel where Ian Fleming wrote 14 James Bond adventures. The hotel's luxury villas boast tropical gardens, private swimming pools and outdoor bathtubs. Kate paid extra to have two butlers, two chefs, a housekeeper, a chauffeur, a live-in masseuse and a yoga teacher at their disposal.
According to friends, Kate booked the holiday so that she and husband Jamie, whom she married in the Cotswolds on July 1, could have "a bit of time apart".
"They were getting under each other's feet," says a source.
"Kate has been calling it marriage shock. It's nothing serious, but they agreed a holiday was a good idea. Jamie told her to remember that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and he thinks it will do them good."
Quite what the 42-year-old Kills guitarist will make of his wife's all-night revelling remains to be seen.
Before the summer wedding, Kate's father Peter said he hoped the musician would have a calming effect on his daughter: "We like Jamie, he's a good influence. You've got to calm down at some time and I'm hoping Jamie is a part of that."
The couple were said to be trying for a baby, and Kate was apparently hoping to get pregnant during their honeymoon to the South of France.
But sources at the Caribbean resort say she has been chain-smoking every day of the holiday.


text:
To find a pediatrician or pediatric specialist, please search our directory.
Search the Directory
View all Services
Get a Second Opinion
See our events for patients, families, health professionals and our community.
Everyone, from the youngest child to the oldest adult, experiences anxieties and fears at one time or another. Feeling anxious in a particularly uncomfortable situation never feels very good. However, with kids, such feelings are not only normal, they're also necessary. Dealing with anxieties can prepare young people to handle the unsettling experiences and challenging situations of life.
Anxiety is defined as "apprehension without apparent cause." It usually occurs when there's no immediate threat to a person's safety or well-being, but the threat feels real.
Anxiety makes someone want to escape the situation — fast. The heart beats quickly, the body might begin to perspire, and "butterflies" in the stomach soon follow. However, a little bit of anxiety can actually help people stay alert and focused.
Having fears or anxieties about certain things can also be helpful because it makes kids behave in a safe way. For example, a kid with a fear of fire would avoid playing with matches.
The nature of anxieties and fears change as kids grow and develop:
As kids grow, one fear may disappear or replace another. For example, a child who couldn't sleep with the light off at age 5 may enjoy a ghost story at a slumber party years later. And some fears may extend only to one particular kind of stimulus. In other words, a child may want to pet a lion at the zoo but wouldn't dream of going near the neighbor's dog.
Typical childhood fears change with age. They include fear of strangers, heights, darkness, animals, blood, insects, and being left alone. Kids often learn to fear a specific object or situation after having an unpleasant experience, such as a dog bite or an accident.
Separation anxiety is common when young children are starting school, whereas adolescents may experience anxiety related to social acceptance and academic achievement.
If anxious feelings persist, they can take a toll on a child's sense of well-being. The anxiety associated with social avoidance can have long-term effects. For example, a child with fear of being rejected can fail to learn important social skills, causing social isolation.
Many adults are tormented by fears that stem from childhood experiences. An adult's fear of public speaking may be the result of embarrassment in front of peers many years before. It's important for parents to recognize and identify the signs and symptoms of kids' anxieties so that fears don't get in the way of everyday life.
Some signs that a child may be anxious about something may include:
Apart from these signs, parents can usually tell when their child is feeling excessively uneasy about something. Lending a sympathetic ear is always helpful, and sometimes just talking about the fear can help a child move beyond it.
When anxieties and fears persist, problems can arise. As much as a parent hopes the child will grow out of it, sometimes the opposite occurs, and the cause of the anxiety looms larger and becomes more prevalent. The anxiety becomes a phobia, or a fear that's extreme, severe, and persistent.
A phobia can be very difficult to tolerate, both for kids and those around them, especially if the anxiety-producing stimulus (whatever is causing the anxiety) is hard to avoid (e.g., thunderstorms).
"Real" phobias are one of the top reasons kids are referred to mental health professionals. But the good news is that unless the phobia hinders the everyday ability to function, the child sometimes won't need treatment by a professional because, in time, the phobia will be resolved.
Try to answer the following questions honestly:
Is your child's fear and behavior related to it typical for your child's age? If the answer to this question is yes, it's a good bet that your child's fears will resolve before they become a serious cause for concern. This isn't to say that the anxiety should be discounted or ignored; rather, it should be considered as a factor in your child's normal development.
Many kids experience age-appropriate fears, such as being afraid of the dark. Most, with some reassurance and perhaps a nightlight, will overcome or outgrow it. However, if they continue to have trouble or there's anxiety about other things, the intervention may have to be more intensive.
What are the symptoms of the fear and how do they affect your child's personal, social, and academic functioning? If symptoms can be identified and considered in light of your child's everyday activities, adjustments can be made to alleviate some of the stress factors.
Does the fear seem unreasonable in relation to the reality of the situation; could it be a sign of a more serious problem? If your child's fear seems out of proportion to the cause of the stress, this may signal the need to seek outside help, such as a counselor, psychiatrist, or psychologist.
Parents should look for patterns. If an isolated incident is resolved, don't make it more significant than it is. But if a pattern emerges that's persistent or pervasive, you should take action. If you don't, the phobia is likely to continue to affect your child.
Contact your doctor and/or a mental health professional who has expertise in working with kids and adolescents.
Parents can help kids develop the skills and confidence to overcome fears so that they don't evolve into phobic reactions.
To help your child deal with fears and anxieties:
The key to resolving fears and anxieties is to overcome them. Using these suggestions, you can help your child better cope with life's situations.


text:
14x20 Embroidered Striped Pillow
Browse all deals at T.J. Maxx
See more in Decorative & Throw Pillows
* This offer may contain time-sensitive information and offers. Please check with T.J. Maxx to confirm actual price & availability.
- Be the first to comment!
T.J. Maxx
15150 Crossroads Pkwy
Gulfport, MS 39503
T.J. Maxx
5024 Hardy St
Hattiesburg, MS 39402


text:
Literary Canada buzzes as Alice Munro wins Nobel Prize for Literature
Canada, and particularly Victoria in British Columbia, is a buzz this morning with the news that Alice Munro has won the Nobel Prize for Literature. The 82-year-old, famous for writing short stories, is the 110th Nobel laureate in literature and the 13th woman to receive the prize.
Munro last published work was in 2012, a collection called Dear Life, and she is now retired from writing. Her best known collections are Dance of the Happy Shades (her debut from 1968), The Progress of Love from 1986, 2004's Runaway and Who Do You Think You Are? from 1978.
She has also won the Man Booker International Prize and a host of Canadian book awards, including two Giller Prizes and three Governor General's Literary Awards.The award is around 8,000,000 Swedish krona (about $1.3 million). She's in good company as past winners include George Bernard Shaw, Ernest Hemingway, Herman Hesse and T.S. Eliot. Chinese writer Mo Yan won last year.
Munro has only written one novel, Lives of Girls and Women, and she has described that decision to try the longer format as a mistake.
In Canada, she does not have the same high profile as Margaret Atwood, who is rarely absent from the headlines, but she is very much viewed as an iconic writer. Born in 1931, Munro has a lasting legacy in Victoria, B.C. thanks to the bookshop she founded here with her first husband, Jim. Munro's is quite simply one of the finest bookstores on the North American west coast and every booklover in Victoria has spent many hours browsing its shelves. I'm sure the staff will be beaming when they open up the store in a few minutes.
Munro's first marriage ended in divorce and she moved to Ontario, and eventually married Gerald Fremlin.
Her writing career took off immediately with Dance of the Happy Shades winning the Governor General's Literary Award. In 2009, she won the Man Booker International Prize for her entire body of work.
Apparently, Munro is in Victoria now and the man on the radio told me she was woken at 4am with the news from Stockholm.
Signed copies of her books are easy to find. Prices for rare editions are very affordable and that perhaps shows that short stories are not always collectible.
Short Story Collections
Dance of the Happy Shades – 1968
Lives of Girls and Women – 1971
Something I've Been Meaning to Tell You – 1974
Who Do You Think You Are? – 1978
The Moons of Jupiter – 1982
The Progress of Love – 1986
Friend of My Youth – 1990
Open Secrets – 1994
The Love of a Good Woman – 1998
Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage – 2001
Runaway – 2004
The View from Castle Rock – 2006
Too Much Happiness – 2009
Dear Life – 2012
Selected Stories – 1996
No Love Lost – 2003
Vintage Munro – 2004
Carried Away: A Selection of Stories – 2006
New Selected Stories – 2011


text:
Almond in Bridgehampton pairs squid and wine
Squid and rose co-star at a dinner May 15 at Almond in Bridgehampton that features Channing Daughters wines.
The three-star restaurant joins with Edible East End magazine to offer a four-course meal with calamari cooked different ways and paired with rose wines from the winery, which also is in Bridgehampton.
Cost: $60 per person plus tax and tip. Dinner starts at 7 p.m.
Chef Jason Weiner's menu includes squid seviche with the winery's 2012 Rosato di Cabernet Franc; grilled squid and octopus with the 2012 Rosato di Sculpture Garden; a "turducken" with rock shrimp, crab and squid with ramp pesto and preserved lemon, sent out with a 2012 Rosato di Syrah; and squid bibimbap with cucumber kimchee, matched with the 2012 Rosato di Refosco.
Almond, 1 Ocean Rd., Bridgehampton; 631-537-5665.


text:
Qfx Pbx 2000 Party Speaker
Browse all deals at Best Buy
See more in Accessories
See more from QFX
* This offer may contain time-sensitive information and offers. Please check with Best Buy to confirm actual price & availability.
- Be the first to comment!
Best Buy
17301 Valley Mall Rd
Hagerstown, MD 21740
Best Buy
18053 Garland Groh Blvd
Hagerstown, MD 21740


text:
Weaver continues hot streak as Angels win 6-4
SEATTLE (AP) Jered Weaver gave up three runs over six innings for his fifth win in six starts and C.J. Cron homered to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 6-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night.
Weaver (6-3) gave up seven hits and a walk while striking out five. Weaver has lasted at least six innings in nine of his 11 starts this season, and this was the first time in eight outings he allowed more than two runs.
Cron led off the seventh inning with his third homer since making his major league debut on May 3.
Ernesto Frieri pitched the ninth for his seventh save, but the Mariners made it interesting. Robinson Cano hit a two-out run scoring single, and Justin Smoak walked before Kyle Seager ended the game with a deep fly to left-center field.
Smoak led off the fourth inning with his seventh home run for Seattle, which had won five of the last six meetings between the teams this season.
Roenis Elias (3-4) allowed five runs and eight hits in 6 1-3 innings. The five earned runs were the most the Mariners rookie has allowed in his 11 career starts.
The Angels opened the second inning with three straight doubles, and added another with one out to take a 3-0 lead.
Seattle answered in the bottom of the inning when Dutin Ackley doubled and scored on Nick Franklin's single.
The Angels loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth but only managed one run with Grant Green scoring as Howie Kendrick grounded into a double play.
The Mariners also loaded the bases for a run in the bottom of the fourth. After Smoak's homer, the Mariners loaded the bases with two outs. Weaver's first pitch to James Jones sailed over the head of catcher Chris Iannetta and Ackley scored from third on the wild pitch to cut Los Angeles' lead to 4-3.
The Angels added another run in the seventh on Mike Trout's sacrifice fly.
Sean Burnett relieved Weaver to start the seventh, but was removed after one batter with an apparent injury. It was Burnett's third appearance since coming off the disabled list Friday after recovering from elbow surgery last August.
NOTES: Angels manager Mike Scioscia said LHP Wade LeBlanc will start Wednesday in the series finale. LeBlanc, who was called up from Triple-A Salt Lake on Sunday, last appeared in a major league game on Aug. 19, 2013, as a member of the Houston Astros. His last major league start was May 6, 2013, for Miami. ... Cano was the DH Tuesday after getting spiked on a play Monday. ... Seattle LHP James Paxton, on the DL since April 9, had an MRI on Tuesday that revealed inflammation in his left shoulder. Paxton had a rehab start with Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday but will be shut down until the inflammation subsides, which the club estimated would be five to seven days.


text:
Q: In your Mac OS X DP4 article you showed how the DP4 Dock uses an XML property list to track the items it contains by storing a URL for each item (e.g. file://localhost/System/Applications/Mail.app). What happens when you click on a dock item that has been moved or renamed?
A: The DP4 Dock does not update its XML property list in real time during use. Instead, it writes out its contents when you log out and reads them back in when you log in. During use, the Dock contents are managed in memory. Unfortunately, the Dock implementation in DP4 does not appear to make any attempt to track moved or renamed files. If you move, rename, or delete an item that appears as an icon in the Dock, the Dock loses track of it. Clicking on the corresponding Dock icon does nothing (until you move the file back, fix the name, or put another item at the correct URL).
Q: I have read that Mac OS X's user interface is slow because it does not yet support hardware graphics acceleration. Is this true?
A: According to Dean Reece of Apple, "accelerated graphics [...] are used in the ATI graphics drivers in DP4."
The phrase "ATI graphics drivers" is somewhat ambiguous, however. It may be that only the Rage 128 variants present as original equipment in blue and white G3's and G4's are supported. Based on my personal experience with more or less "stock" b&w G3's and G4's, it's clear to me that hardware graphics acceleration is present in both DP3 and DP4. In particular, running any one of the OpenGL demos in DP4 on a stock b&w G3 or G4 is quite convincing.
Q: Where can I get the picture of that jet you used as a desktop and window background in your Mac OS X articles?
A: Believe it or not, this is actually the most common question I receive. I've stuck it here at the end because it's not exactly relevant to Mac OS X, but I'm tired of answering it! :-) The picture is from the anime movie Macross Plus (the movie has four parts, and the DVD comes in two volumes, two parts per disc). Several versions of the image are linked below, all of which I found on the net:
- Uncompressed PICT (1.9MB)
- <!--
- JPEG with logo (443K)
- JPEG with large logo (152K)
- JPEG with logo and motion blur (146K)
That's all for now. If I didn't answer your question, there's always next time. Stay tuned for more Mac OS X techno-cheesecake when the public beta is released later this summer.


text:
Spoiler alert: I give the entire game away in this post. If you're keen to watch The Wire, don't watch the clips – they will ruin it for you. I'd even be careful with some of the text.
I have some problems with the West Wing. I no longer think it's the bee's knees. Partly because I've since watched The Wire, which is the bee's knees, but also because we're rewatching season one now, while we also watch The Wire.
What issues do I have with the West Wing?
1. the music is really intrusive and pushy. The Wire has ruined me for telly with a score. There's no music in The Wire, beyond what the characters hear in their ordinary settings. But the West Wing is rank with it, and it's pushy. It's busy telling you, 'hey, this is a really serious bit' or 'look out – he's angry, he's angry!' You're not left to figure out how you should feel on your own. The Wire doesn't baby you or preach – it figures you know how you're supposed to feel. And the West Wing has that horrid, overly florid music that really gets up my crack.
2. america is wonderful. The West Wing is, essentially, a story about the wonderfulness of the American democratic process. It almost tries to problematise some legislative issues, but it doesn't quite make it. Ultimately, any problem with the American electoral system, laws, powers of the president or general legal system are solved by the wonderfulness of the president. Jed Bartlett/Martin Sheen (and the two are inextricable) is presented as this too-wonderful man, whose sheer charisma absolves the broader structural problems in American civics. He's so smart, so charming, so wickedly brave and sneaky, our problems with his policy or with the way the government he leads works are nudged aside. This feels, ultimately, untrue and deceitful. The West Wing promises a clever, insightful gaze into the white house. But really, it offers you a bunch of fast dialogue with very ordinary, very familiar and very unradical story lines and characters.
3. the dialogue is clever. It's not. It's quick. But every character speaks, ultimately, the same way. The first time I watched this show I thought 'my, I'd love to work in a place like that, where everyone is really clever and everyone is stretched and really used for their best abilities'. But now, I'm not buying that. With rewatching, the stories and dialogue aren't so clever. I'm really not seeing any new types of character relationships or story arcs. There're some overly moralising stories about drugs or health care, but, really, it's the same old preachy shit. And while these guys are presented as the 'good guys' – the left – they're really only soft left. And I don't even want to talk about race. Well, perhaps a little. Black, in the white house? You'll be holding doors for the president, getting told off for speaking out about racism (in ep 15, season 1) or getting killed, eventually.
The Wire, in contrast, is really quite radical. We spend as much time with the drug dealers and shooters and strippers as we do with the police. In fact, the institutional structures and discourses of the illegal networks are far more complex and sophisticated than the police and 'legal' institutions. The police team working 'the wire' are really following a couple of steps behind the B&B crew, trying to figure out how they manage to hide their dealings using a telephone network. You're really left thinking that the B&B organisation – particularly under Stringer Bell's direction – is organised crime.
Issues of crime and class are dealt with in long-reaching, long-term story arcs. They're not resolved in an episode with some ideological bravado from Toby, some practical problem solving from Leo and some balderdash paternalism from Bartlet. Problem solving – solving cases – isn't quick or simple. It doesn't use high tech forensics. It uses, at best, wire taps on pay phones and blokes on roofs with film cameras. Some of the police are utterly crap and incompetent. Some of them have potential, but fail to realise it. And sometimes, the cases don't get solved. There are also frustrating moments when the characters fail to communicate and royally fuck up a 'simple' resolution. So the story lines aren't as clear and simple and easily resolved. West Wing is dealing with the disadvantages of an episodic format – it can't really work with longer, sustained (and ultimately more complex) story lines. But really, there's no excuse for dialogue that looks clever, but isn't, really.
4. the gender stuff. Basically, the chicks on the West Wing are dumb arses. They look good – they sound clever. And CJ is tall. But they're really not the smartest kids in the class. Evidence? Let's say we're faced with a tricky moment in American legislative process. We're pretty sure the audience won't understand or have any useful knowledge about this process. We need to clue them in, but we have about 45 minutes to get the story done, and really, this little narrative knot is more important for making a point about Bartlet's persona or Josh's impending romance. So how do we clue in the audience? The West Wing gets old school and uses some exposition. Basically, one of the clever characters (usually one of the lawyers – Toby, Josh or Sam) explains the process to someone else. 95% of the time that person who needs things explaining is a woman. This could be excused by the fact that the characters are in their first term in the white house -they're new to the job. But why is it always CJ or Mandy or Donna who needs to have something explained to them? It's fairly rare to see Sam having something explained. Unless it's emotional stuff. If it's something to do with dating, Sam's having it explained to him by… some chick. If it's something about being kind, Josh is having it explained to him by Donna. If there's a story about the futility of young men lost in wars, it's Mrs Lanningham explaining to young Charlie.
This is one part of West Wing that I'm finding increasingly intolerable. That and the music. I've just about had enough of hearing Toby rant to CJ or Sam explain sampling process to CJ. The latter I am almost furiously frustrated by. CJ, as a PR wiz, should have at the very least, a working knowledge of basic sampling processes, at least as they're applied to polling and public opinion surveys. I mean, fuck, my undergrads could figure it out after an hour of lecture and a couple of readings. CJ doesn't understand it? Jeez. I just wasn't buying it. And if it's simple enough to explain in three minutes of expository dialogue, I'm a little surprised so competent and articulate and clever a woman as CJ can't get it after hours reading briefing papers… or perhaps the people who write these briefs need a little help? And I don't think I need to talk about Mrs Bartlet and the cafuffle over her office in the first season. This woman should have been, by this point in her husband's career, an astute political animal. But she makes first year blunders that are really quite embarassing.
I really need to point out a few more points where The Wire kicks West Wing arse. But let's pause for a little Stringer Bell action.
The dialogue and the story lines. You think there's a lot of walking about and fast talking in the West Wing? Try figuring out the local dialects of Baltimore. Both black and white. Cop and stevedore. All-male and all-female groups. We regularly stop the DVD to try and figure out what's going on. What did he say? Who's that? What's going on now? There are zillions of characters, the story line is incredibly complicated, and there's a lot of talking. But it's all very satisfying, once you've figured out what's going on.
[spoiler alert: there's lots of spoiler action approaching]
Issues of class are dealt with in the most interesting ways. I was particularly struck by the parallels between McNulty's and Stringer Bell's struggles with class in the third season (which we've just finished watching). McNulty starts seeing (dating is too generous a term for this relationship) a well-connected white woman PR hound. She, essentially, uses him for his body. He tries, a couple of times, to hang out in her world – high powered political negotiations and shmoozing parties. He's left feeling stupid and clumsy. As he says at one point (and I must paraphrase), 'I'm the smartest guy in the western. But I couldn't keep up with what she was doing'. His street knowledge and truly formidable problem solving smarts were simply useless in that forum. He simply didn't have the social nous – or social skills to negotiate that space.
Similarly, Stringer Bell begins to move into real estate development, investing the massive amounts of money he's earnt dealing drugs. He begins to deal with the city housing officials and the complicated network of laws, bylaws and committees regulating building and industry in Baltimore (a journey paralleled by Cutty's attempts to found a boxing gym for young people, but that's another story). He fails, miserably, mostly because he simply doesn't speak the 'language' or know how to read the high-level machinations of this setting (spoiler alert: here's a nice clip where we see Stringer's frustrations played out).
Both are very intelligent men. Stringer Bell has been studying business at community college at night. McNulty is ferociously intelligent, and solves problems with a combination of terrier-tenacity and cutting smarts. Bell is perhaps the more impressive personality, managing a massive drug dealing business, organising the different local bosses into a cohesive network of businessmen. But he is hampered more clearly by his race when he tries to move between classes. Both are dealing with the greater challenges of class – of education, of not speaking the right language (or knowing how to negotiate language), of not walking or moving the right way. Even their physical experience with and relative comfort with physical violence becomes an impediment, confusing their responses to conflict. While neither does anything as ridiculous as start a fight, both use their physical threat – their posturing and willingness to physically mix it up – marring their efforts to deal with individuals and settings where violence is not at all appropriate.
This next clip is 100% spoiler. If you haven't seen season 3 or are considering watching the program, don't watch it. But it's an interesting comment on class in The Wire.
All of this is not discussed in snappy dialogue. It is expressed in a series of incidents, over a series of episodes. Both characters do spend time on exposition, but their articulation of their frustrations is in character – these are men who are also very much verbally competent. Their language skills are impressive. It's just that they're also contextually dependent and don't transfer to new settings terribly well.
The Wire is also impressive for the fact that it actually has queer characters who stick around.
There are dykes and fags, here, and they're not subscribing to gender or sexual stereotypes. Omar is a ruthless, fearless killer whose violence is triggered in large part as a response to the murder and torture of his lover. Kima is involved in a long term relationship with a lawyer and dealing with new parenthood (her relationship with McNulty is interesting – she's not interested in him sexually, but she's obviously drawn to his charismatic, chaotically destructive person and becomes increasingly like him in her behaviour). There are other queer characters who bend gender norms, but I can't give away too many spoilers.
Really, The Wire is fabulous television. And The West Wing fails.


text:
GLBT Rights
"Gay rights are human rights"
Latest News
Van der Laan opens European LGBT Sports Federation conference07/03/2014
On Friday 7 March in Ljubljana, ALDE Party Vice President Lousewies van der Laan addressed the "Building bridges" conference of the European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation (EGLSF).
As a former MEP she said that she is: "glad to see that the LGBT Intergroup in the European Parliament is still going strong. When we set it up in 1999, we were really pioneers and I want to pay homage to my friend Michael Cashman, who is leaving, for doing such an amazing job."
She reminded the audience of the pioneering role her political party played to allow same-sex couples to get married: "You may have heard of my party D66, because we were the first – in the world – to open up marriage to same-sex partners. We did not want a separate "gay marriage", but simply to make marriage gender neutral."
She was especially pleased to address the EGLSF in Slovenia: "In 2002, as a Member of the European Parliament, I had my first and only spat with the Slovenian government. You may recall that the Slovenian winner of the Eurovision pre-selection, was a glamorous group of gorgeous transvestites called Sestre, with the catchy "Samo Lbubljezen". Conservative voices influenced by the church tried to have a reweighing of the votes to avoid this. I immediately sent out a press release inciting this constituted three strikes for a country aspiring to join the EU: homophobia, lack of independence of the public broadcaster and no seperation between church and state. It turns out my questions were helpful and you can imagine how delighted I was to attend last year's Ljubljana Pride with my family."
Reminding the audience why she as a married heterosexual cares so much about all this, Van der Laan said: "The answer is simple. Because how we treat minorities is the ultimate litmus test of civilisation. Democracy is not about a majority imposing its will. Democracy starts with the protection of minorities and sexual minorities remain among the most vulnerable in the world. In this regard, recent times have been horrible with new discrimination laws being adopted in Uganda, Nigeria and Russia. It shows how far we still have to go."
"But lets not think that in countries where the laws are fine, the situation is good. Even in the Netherlands, it took us more than 10 years to pass the law on lesbian parenting, which allows the wife of a mother to automatically become the legal parent of their baby - avoiding a lengthy, insecure and expensive adoption procedure. This shows that between legal equality and full societal acceptance there is still a long way to go. And this is where you all have a key role to play."
"Athletes are role models – it is crucial for young people struggling with their identity, sexual or otherwise to have heroes to relate to. Sadly, coming out is still a big deal in certain sports and I look forward to the day when a coming out will no longer be news."
"In 2012, the Dutch COC had sports as its theme for International Coming Out Day. Following their campaign, the Royal Dutch Football federation launched a campaign against discrimination. This included a football boat at the Amsterdam Canal pride with many top footballers. They are ready to roll out the concept to UEFA. It shows what activism can achieve."
Lousewies van der Laan also gave her views on Sochi: "I want to state that I am deeply embarrassed that The Netherlands, which had a great reputation on equality sent the heaviest delegation in the world to Russia for the Olympic opening. This was despite the express wishes of the Russian LGBT activists. I am glad many athletes and other countries expressed solidarity with the Russian LGBT community in one way or another, like the American Rainbow delegation."
Closing her speech, she said: "You will have some amazing days and fascinating workshops ahead of you. You will renew old bonds and forge new friendships and alliances. I don't believe in national borders or allegiances. I believe in global communities that work together across borders because of shared values. Our values are equality and human rights. It is a pleasure being a part of this community and we will win."


text:
Mary Lawson is a fine writer. If you enjoyed Crow Lake and The Other Side of the Bridge, then you will be happy to hear of her latest novel 'Road Ends'. And if you are new to Lawson, then you have three very lovely Canadian novels to savour and enjoy whenever you have a chance to get lost in them. Though some of the characters return from the earlier novels, there is no need to read them in order. Lawson's books are set in Northern Ontario where she grew up. The landscape of this area, especially in winter, is something she must feel in her very bones because she can make the reader feel it too. Surprisingly compelling despite being mostly character driven, the pages turn effortlessly and I find I don't want her books to ever end. And when they do I want to recommend them to all my friends. One reviewer called her writing, "clean, clear and accessible."
Road Ends is about a family that is unravelling. "Edward Cartwright, struggling to escape the legacy of a violent past; Emily, his wife, cloistered in her room with yet another new baby, increasingly unaware of events outside the bedroom door; Tom, their eldest son, twenty-five years old but home again, unable to come to terms with the death of a friend; and capable, formidable Megan, the sole daughter in a household of eight sons, who for years held the family together but has finally broken free and gone to England to try to make a life of her own." The story is narrated by Tom, Edward, and Megan. Megan's adjustment to life in chaotic, busy London when she's only ever known rural Canada, is autobiographical. The author moved to London, met her husband and stayed to raise a family. She says she's still confused about what to call 'home' and finds the Atlantic an annoying vast expanse separating her two favourites places.
Lawson's strength is in her ability to convey the nuance in complex family relationship using a very easy, economical writing style. Emotion is conveyed but it is never cloying. She makes me care about these people. I can relate to them. I long to understand them, I hurt for them, I cheer for them, I fear for them, and in the end I have a hard time letting them go.


text:
Jean Seberg is perhaps little known in this age of actress-celebrities like Jennifer "J.Lo" Lopez, or Madonna. Ms. Seberg was an artist of some note in the 1960s, but the FBI was more interested in her political sympathies. When she dared make contributions to the Black Panther defense fund, she earned the twisted ire of the FBI, which launched into a vicious media attack.
Swearingen reports the agency went ballistic when it suspected the actress of having an affair with a high-ranking Panther member. He later reported, in a sworn affidavit, that the racism of his fellow FBI workers was intense, and it compelled them to the unthinkable. "In the view of the Bureau," he later related,
Jean was giving aid and comfort to the enemy, the BPP ... The giving of her white body to a black man was an unbearable thought for many of the white agents. An agent was overheard to say, a few days after I arrived in Los Angeles from New York, "I wonder how she'd like to gobble up my dick while I shove my .38 up that black bastard's ass." [66]
The FBI contacted its media "friendlies" to issue gossip items about her. The Los Angeles Times printed the gossip, and Seberg, who, as the FBI knew, was emotionally unstable, went into a terrible emotional spiral. She was about six months pregnant when she attempted suicide by taking sleeping pills. This caused her to go into labor prematurely and the fetus died. The shattered woman attempted suicide annually around the time of the miscarriage, and finally succeeded in 1979. Her ex-husband, Romaine Gary, later took his own life.
-- We Want Freedom, by Mumia Abu-Jamal


text:
Welcome to National Mining Museum Scotland, a 5 Star visitor attraction and winner of the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions "Best Visitor Experience" Award in 2009 and 2013.
The museum provides a great day out for all ages! We're based at one of the finest surviving examples of a Victorian colliery in Europe, the Lady Victoria Colliery at Newtongrange, just nine miles south of Edinburgh.
Visitors to the museum will marvel at the sheer size of the place, be astounded by the engineering brilliance behind all the machinery and retrace the footsteps and struggles of the thousands of miners and their families before them.


text:
It's always fun to keep your eyes open for useful and interesting free tools that help make your job easier. Because these tools are free, you don't have to beg for budget or write up a justification document just to get your hands on the software to make use of it.
If you are a recent convert or a VMware shop currently listening to the Hyper-V doctrine from Microsoft, you aren't alone. Microsoft has been making a huge splash with Hyper-V throughout 2012, and as we enter 2013, quite a few VMware-only shops out there are, if nothing else, at least interested in looking at what Microsoft's server virtualization technology has to offer. Existing VMware vSphere customers may not be jumping ship in droves, but in many cases, Microsoft has found a way to at least pique their curiosity enough to warrant installing Hyper-V and trying it out for themselves.
[ Also on InfoWorld: VMware vCenter Server 5.1 will soon support Microsoft Hyper-V servers | Microsoft turns the tables on VMware's cost calculator | Track the latest trends in virtualization in InfoWorld's Virtualization Report newsletter. ]
We recently talked about how Microsoft has been trying to lure away VMware customers by claiming that Hyper-V was cheaper than vSphere and how switching platforms could save a company money. Some firms are now using Hyper-V for their development and testing environments, while others are taking it one step further by migrating over non-mission-critical virtual machines in the hopes of saving a few bucks on virtualization licensing costs.
Whatever the reason for change, if you plan on migrating, make sure you experiment with your existing VMware VMs in the new Hyper-V environment first to see how they react. How do you do that?
Recently, InfoWorld covered the free Virtual Machine Converter (MVMC) tool from Microsoft. MVMC converts VMware vSphere virtual machines or virtual disks stored using the VMDK format into Hyper-V compatible versions. Microsoft's free tool gives administrators the option of using a graphical user interface (GUI) version with wizards or a scriptable command-line interface (CLI) that can be used for automation workflows.
But if you prefer third-party solutions and want to try something that's been available a bit longer, I invite you to add 5nine's free V2V Easy Converter software to your virtual tool belt.
5nine is an early adopter who jumped into the Hyper-V ecosystem back in 2009 with P2V planning software and a virtualization analysis and optimization solution. It's been one of the unsung heroes in the Hyper-V camp working to create a number of different free and paid solutions for Microsoft's hypervisor platform. While other companies have been focusing their efforts on where the money is concentrated (read, the VMware ecosystem), 5nine has been developing solutions for Hyper-V long before it was cool (or profitable).
V2V Easy Converter is a fast and easy-to-use migration tool. It's a standalone tool that doesn't require additional software licenses. And it runs on a free Windows Hyper-V Server 2008 R2/SP1, or on other Microsoft platforms like Windows 7, or full or core editions of Server 2008 and Windows 8/Server 2012.


text:
Welcome to a new week of Motivation Monday! Last week, 463 links were shared at Motivation Monday. That's pretty amazing.
Motivation Monday is all about inspirational posts, healthy recipes, crafts, organizing tips, and home decorating ideas. Be sure to check out all the great tips and share your favorites. Thanks to 8 hosts, your links will be shown to thousands of readers looking for recipes for summer and fall, ways to be a better mom, and fun crafts to do with their kids.
Thursday Themes
My Thursday theme posts (yes, they were on Saturday) will be another opportunity to expose your fabulous crafts, projects, and recipes with my readers. I will be focusing on 4 topics each month and gathering links from each party for the topics.
Thursday Themes
- Kid Crafts
- Summer Anything (this one will be a seasonal one)
- Free Printables
- Breakfast Recipes
- Anything Goes for the months with a 5th Thursday
Recent Crafts and Recipes on A Life in Balance
Follow the Motivation Monday Hosts
Barb of A Life in Balance
Facebook | G+ | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter
Mitzi of Written Reality
Facebook | G+ | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter
Katie of Mom Favorites
Facebook | G+ | Pinterest | Twitter
Toni of Tickles and Time Outs
Facebook | G+ | Pinterest | Twitter
Jen of Making Our Life Matter
Facebook | G+ | Pinterest | Twitter
Candi of A Day in Candiland
Facebook | G+ | Pinterest | Twitter
Heather of Girl Gone Mom
Facebook | G+ | Pinterest | Twitter
Megan of NEPA Mom
Facebook | G+ | Pinterest | Twitter
1. Cheesy Kale and Artichoke Dip | Ann's Entitled Life
2. After School Snack Ideas | Living Contently
3. Apple Pie Smoothie | Just 2 Sisters
4. Pumpkin Bars with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting | About a Mom
5. DIY Laundry Stain Remover | Premeditated Leftovers
6. Apps to Help You Save on Travel | A Mitten Full of Savings


text:
- About Us
- Issues
- Scorecards
Get Informed
- Join
- Learn
- Take Action
Get Involved
- Contact
- Foundation
- Privacy Policy
Contact FreedomWorks
111 K Street NE
Suite 600
Washington, DC 20002
- Toll Free 1.888.564.6273
- Local 202.783.3870
I was bursting with pride yesterday as I watched our champions of liberty filibuster on the Senate floor. It's unimaginable that in America such measures have to be taken to ensure that American citizens won't be blown up at their local cafe because an unelected bureaucrat decided they might be a terrorist, but it is the country we live in currently. I was tweeting with my head held high, supporting Rand Paul all the way. I drove home from work feeling rejuvenated, basking in the hope of liberty's preservation emanating from Rand Paul's filibuster. However my elation was short lived. In my excitement, I had forgotten that as Paul was filibustering tyranny in the Senate, the House of Representatives was in the process of voting for it.
Yesterday, in what is now unfortunately predictable behavior, House Republicans refused to take a stand against Obamacare. House leadership pushed through yet another continuing resolution, and yet again failed to cut a single penny from Obamacare. Furthermore, House leadership scoffed at a proposed amendment by Congressman Louis Gohmert which would prevent tax dollars from being used to facilitate President Obama's golf outings.
Yesterday was a great day, a disheartening day, and a motivating day all wrapped up in one. On one side of the Capitol stood Rand Paul, literally standing up to tyrannical rule by executive fiat. On the other side sat John Boehner and company, pushing through legislation to fund the government takeover of health care and one sixth of our economy. It was a beautiful day for liberty in the Senate, a gloomy day for freedom in the House, and a watershed moment for the movement.
We witnessed some of the fruits of our labor yesterday. Grassroots activists fought tooth and nail to get Senators Paul, Lee, Cruz and Rubio elected. Last night is what we have been fighting for; representatives who will fearlessly draw a line in the sand and stand up to this Administration. These were the men that were told they couldn't win, they were told by the establishment to wait their turn. But last night, Rand, Ted, Mike and Marco took their place as the new leaders of the GOP. They stood together united around the Constitution and a set of principles, not party ideology. They were standing for us, and for our children's future. The sweat, blood, and tears of activists across the nation were rewarded for all to see yesterday. Rand's stand is what we have been fighting for, Rand's stand was empowered by activists and Rand's stand is why we must never give up our pursuit for candidates who embrace liberty and freedom.
Who's with me?
It is disappointing to see Brennan get his confirmation, but I will go ahead and say that hearing Paul and the others who spoke up was a breath of fresh air for me (even if it was just a small breath).
I agree, it was a great issue to take a stand on and it got the attention of some die hard progressives, like John Cusack, even Roger Ebert tweeted approval! I think it is just the start of the long hard road to taking our country back, I'm so proud of these young GOP pols, especially Rand Paul!


text:
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc.
Full Game
Winner of Gamescom 2015 'Best RPG" and over 35 E3 2015 Awards and Nominations, DARK SOULS™ III continues to push the boundaries with the latest, ambitious chapter in the critically-acclaimed and genre-defining series.
As fires fade and the world falls into ruin, journey into a universe filled with more colossal enemies and environments. Players will be immersed into a world of epic atmosphere and darkness through faster gameplay and amplified combat intensity. Fans and newcomers alike will get lost in the game hallmark rewarding gameplay and immersive graphics.
Now only embers remain… Prepare yourself once more and Embrace The Darkness!
Additional hardware required for Remote Play.
Use of PSN and SEN account are subject to the Terms of Service and User Agreement and applicable privacy policy (see terms at sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/terms-of-service & sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/privacy-policy). *Online multiplayer also requires a PlayStation®Plus subscription.
1 player
Network Players 2-6
18GB minimum save size
Remote Play
1080p HD Video Output
Online Play (Optional)
Software subject to license (us.playstation.com/softwarelicense). Online activity subject to Terms of Services and User Agreement (www.playstationnetwork.com/terms-of-service). One-time license fee for play on account's designated primary PS4™ system and other PS4™ systems when signed in with that account.
Dark Souls™ III & ©BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. / ©2011-2016 FromSoftware, Inc.


text:
TASTE OF THE TOUR: A potpourri of poultry to reach Chartres
MUR -DE-BRETAGNE, France (AP) — There's plenty of poultry to provide sustenance for the longest stage of the Tour de France.
From the prized Coucou de Rennes chickens to the grass-fed Sougeal or Couesnon geese, foodies should have no trouble filling their stomachs for the 231-kilometer (143.5-mile) trek from Fougeres, home to the best-preserved and largest medieval fortress in Europe, to Chartres, site of a vast cathedral known for its stained-glass windows.
Riding directly east in northwestern France, the stage concludes in an area known as Cosmetic Valley for its cluster of cosmetics and perfume companies.
The route skirts just north of Le Mans, home of the 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race.
Chartres is just 96 kilometers southwest of Paris, where the Tour will end on July 29.
Here's a gastronomical, sporting and cultural glance at Stage 7 on Friday:
BAGUETTE AND BUTTER: After a couple of hilly days, the race returns to flatter territory with only one category four climb midway through the stage. Expect sprinters like Fernando Gaviria and Peter Sagan to shine again. Greg Van Avermaet should hold on to the yellow jersey.
PLAT DU JOUR: Coucou de Rennes chickens, named for their cuckoo plumage, are bred outside Rennes, the capital of Brittany. Recognized for their attractive coat of grey, white and blue-tinted feathers, they're big free-range birds whose meat has a unique texture and nutty taste.
For a full platter of poultry, add Couesnon goose from Sougeal, a town near Fougeres. This bird's firm flesh is perfect for roasts, stews and rillettes (spreadable pate).
CULTURE: Chartres Cathedral "marks the high point of French Gothic art," according to UNESCO's World Heritage site .
VIN DU JOUR: Jasnieres. This aromatic white wine is produced in the Sarthe department midway through the stage. Pairs well with fish and goat cheese.
HISTORY: Geo Lefevre, who was born in Chartres in 1887, was a journalist who came up with the idea of the Tour de France. He suggested the idea to Henri Desgrange, editor of the daily newspaper L'Auto, as a way to boost circulation. The first race was in 1903.
Bradley Wiggins secured his 2012 Tour title by winning a time trial in the penultimate stage that ended in Chartres. Chris Froome placed second behind his Sky teammate and finished second overall.
STAT OF THE DAY: 11 — The increase in speed when Dan Martin accelerated from 19 kph to 30 kph on a 10 percent gradient to win Stage 6 up the Mur-de-Bretagne.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I saw everyone was on the limit, and there were no teammates left, so why not have a try?" — Martin on his winning attack.
DESSERT: Mentchikoffs. These white-colored delicacies from Chartres are filled with a chocolate mixture of almonds and hazelnuts and coated with a meringue.
NEXT ORDER: Stage 8 on Saturday is a rolling 181-kilometer leg from Dreux to Amiens, located halfway between Paris and Calais.
More Tour de France coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/TourdeFrance


text:
និង គ្រឿងលំអរ
និង គ្រឿងលំអរ
ទូកប្រោះទឹកជាមួយនឹងសម្រស់សូហ្វីរ៉ាហ្គីហ្វីដែលល្អសម្រាប់ការកំសាន្ដរបស់ទារកក្នុងពេលងូតទឹក! ងាយនឹងក្តាប់និងរៀបចំដោយដៃតិចៗគ្រាន់តែរុញចុះលើទូកដើម្បីទទួលបានផលពីការជុះទឹក។
Rather than telling you about myself, Sophie la girafe or the Klorofil Tree, I would like to talk about my team. Indeed, the Vulli company is above all the men and women who work every day to exceed the expectations of young parents and their children. We are a young and dynamic company who is expanding and developping both in France and internationally. With a passion for rugby, I often compare the management of a company to that of a rugby team. In order to be effective, the team must have specialists at each position, but also people who have the ability to take a step back and work together to achieve a common goal. In this team, the captain's role is not to impose anything, but rather to build a project and to ensure that everyone adheres to it. As specialist in the world of baby care and early learning toys, Vulli's goal is to provide the best response to children and parents in terms of awakening and games. We thus created an entire awakening and baby care product line around this objective. Our leading toys are now present in over 70 countries, through the constant involvement of all employees working in our factory in Rumilly. We strive to provide worldwide consumers the highest level of safety: all our toys respect the international regulations. Finally, having babies' interests at the heart of our policy, it implies thinking about their future and consequently offering them a cleaner planet. Therefore, we are strongly committed to ecology and engaged in a sustainable development policy, which has always been a deep conviction for me.


text:
Blasphemy Laws Exist in Nearly One-Quarter of World's Countries
Consequences range from fines to the death penalty, as in the case of Meriam Yehya Ibrahim, a 27-year-old Christian woman who has been sentenced to death in Sudan.
WASHINGTON — Laws punishing acts of blasphemy or apostasy against certain religions are present in almost one-fourth of the world's countries, said a U.S.-based religious research group.
"Apostasy and blasphemy may seem to many like artifacts of history. But in dozens of countries around the world, laws against apostasy and blasphemy remain even today," said the Pew Research Center in a May 30 blog post.
The organization found that "that, as of 2012, nearly a quarter of the world's countries and territories" had anti-blasphemy laws or policies, and 11% of countries had "laws or policies penalizing apostasy." Consequences for changing faiths or criticizing a religion ranged from fines to the death penalty.
Pew examined data in its 2014 Religious Freedom Report, as well as the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom's 2014 report.
The research showed anti-blasphemy laws across the world and on every populated continent, with some of the most severe legislation enacted in Pakistan.
Such laws are also on the books in Michigan and Massachusetts, although they are not enforced in these states.
On example in which anti-blasphemy laws were used came in the North-African country of Mauritania, where anti-slavery activists were imprisoned "after publicly burning religious texts to denounce what the activists viewed as support for slavery in Islamic commentary and jurisprudence."
While apostasy laws were found to be less common overall — only 21 countries had anti-apostasy legislation on the books — these laws were present in "more than half the countries in the Middle East-North Africa region," Pew said.
These laws against leaving a certain faith often have strict consequences, with punishments as severe as death in some cases or the loss of citizenship, such as in the Maldives, where "all citizens are required to be Muslim."
Apostasy laws have drawn attention in recent weeks in connection with Meriam Yehya Ibrahim, a 27-year-old woman who has been sentenced to death in Sudan.
Ibrahim is recognized as Muslim under Sudanese law because her father was Muslim, despite the fact that her father abandoned the family when she was 6 years old, and she was raised as a Christian by her Ethiopian Orthodox mother.
Ibrahim was arrested in August 2013; a Khartoum court convicted her May 15 of apostasy from Islam and adultery, on the grounds that marriage between Muslim women and non-Muslim men is not recognized.
She recently gave birth to the couple's second child while in prison. Reports indicate that she will be allowed to nurse her baby for several months before her death sentence is carried out. Meanwhile, international attention and pressure is growing on Sudan to release her and her children.


text:
While HIT insiders and pundits take it as a given that installing an EMR benefits everyone, it's not so obvious to some gun-shy practices. Even researchers like myself switch gears every time I try to explain what EMR technology can do.
That's why I was pleased to come across the following blog item. This piece offers a very solid list of twelve reasons why EMRs can improve patient care, including the following (in no particular order of importance):
* EMRs are less subject to physical damage and data loss than paper records, as the data can be backed up and stored elsewhere.
* EMRs reduce wait times for patients, as there's no need to wait for a receptionist to pull a chart and get it to the treating clinician.
* Data stored in an EMR can be sent more easily to other clinicians than when using a paper record. (This may not be true if the EMR is balky — in reality, only an HIE can really fulfill this promise — but it should be true.)
* EMRs that integrate e-prescribing reduce the risk that a patient will get the wrong drug/dose, as poorly-written prescriptions stop being an issue.
The piece also notes that with an EMR in place, practices should have neater workspaces to use (no paper accumulation) and have better access to care documentation during emergencies.
Now, to inject a note of skepticism here, it's unlikely that most practices will realize all of these benefits quickly.
In particular, I highly doubt that practices will be able to cut back on paper quickly, since if nothing else, they'll have to do something with the reams of letters and faxes that other providers send to them, and possibly images as well. (It's no coincidence that the author works for an HIT consulting firm.)
Still, it's good to see a well-rounded wrap-up of how EMRs might support day-to-day patient care. It's easy to assume that everyone understands EMRs' potential — but I'd argue that many clinicians are just beginning to draw these conclusions.
That being said, would you add any clinical care benefits to our blogger's list? Would you disagree with any of his conclusions?


text:
Thirteen-year-old Ryan McKenna got a selfie with Justin Timberlake during his Super Bowl LII halftime show, and the internet lost its mind. McKenna was dubbed "#selfiekid" on Twitter and quickly became an Internet star.
McKenna appeared on ABC's Good Morning America Monday morning to talk about the experience.
He still can't believe how the moment blew up on social media. "I got like 8,000 more followers on Snapchat."
People on Twitter joked that the kid will be the talk of his school tomorrow.
People also wondered why he was on his phone right after taking his photo.
McKenna cleared up the confusion on Good Morning America. "I had a video going and my phone shut off. That's why I was on my phone."
He also assured the hosts that he knows who Justin Timberlake is. "I love him. He's my favorite singer, so I had to take a selfie with him."


text:
In a world of constantly changing consumption and information, the role of communication is more crucial than ever if our brands are to stand out and the reputation of the group is to be maintained.
In a world that is constantly changing, Communication teams play a key role. Their mission is to increase awareness, ensure long-term reputation and build up the image of the L'Oréal group and its brands.
Nowadays a brand or a group's reputation accounts for 75% of its value and persuasion and influence are becoming ever-more decisive in buying. The challenge for brands is therefore to have effective communications that will make them stand out in a saturated environment.
Moreover, with the ever-greater number of information sources and channels, media relations, public relations and special events are now only one aspect of working in communication for L'Oréal. The trend is towards multi-channel strategies that include communication 2.0/social media and multi-targets (journalists, bloggers, influencers, celebrities, consumers, the scientific community, employees and other influencers) who use the entire range of communications tools, partnerships, events, sponsorship, media relations, CSR, crisis management, public affairs, etc. to increase awareness of the group and its brands.


text:
What you need to know before you go
Jesolo ticks all the boxes for a seaside vacation – especially when it comes to beaches. Here, there are 13 kilometers of the sandy stuff, conveniently backed by hotels, shops, and restaurants serving up the resort's specialty: pizza.
While most visitors spend their time basking in the sun, there's plenty more to do when you want to pick up the pace, from sunny rounds of golf and tennis, to bike rides along designated cycling paths, and family attractions like Aqualandia waterpark and the Tropicarium Park zoo. What's more, Jesolo sits within easy reach of Venice, making decadent day trips possible.


text:
Mozilla Firefox 9.0.1
Mozilla's free and open source web browser, bringing together all kinds of awesomeness to make browsing better for you.
What's New
Alternatives 3
Mozilla has switched Firefox to a rapid release development cycle which means new versions will come more frequently. The non-profit organization has promised to push out a new stable build every six weeks.
What's New in Firefox 9:
Please see the complete list of changes in this version. Web and extension developers should also view the curated list of platform changes. You may also be interested in the list of changes in the previous version.
More detailed release notes are available here.


text:
Rule #1 - Be Patient - Rule #2 - Don't ask when, if you don't contribute - Rule #3 - You have coding skills - LinuxMCE's small brother is available: http://www.agocontrol.com
Lol! Then what's not to worry!? Now you're saying "yeah, tough luck, you bought a useless case" Well, I got the vfd to work now, still have nooo idea how to get that IR receiver to function, though...*Edit: I got the VFD to work only on the system itself, so I can output my own messages to it, but nothing more (linuxmce doesn't support it, as he said...)
Don't worry, guys, LMCE doesn't support VFD displays except a three models: Crystal Fontz USB/RS232, IRTrans - Dign VFD and Media Live LCD/Buttons. The rest can be just used by MythTV or VDR. IMHO it'd be great to have some generic VFD interface which will communicate with LCD server as a client. In that case it'd be doesn't matter what model of VFD you have.
How do you install lcd-proc? It isn't on my system now - tried apt-get install lcd-proc.... says there is no such package...
apt-get install lcdproc
True, true, the original compile failed on my box too, but that's a pretty old thread, meant for a previous ubuntu version. If you read the entire thread (which is a pain, I know) then you can find a solution... Errr, hold on, I'll try to give you my method:Install lirc and the lirc-modules-kernel version-genericAfter this you need to load the lirc_imon module:modprobe lirc_imon (add "lirc_imon" to your /etc/modules file to start it at boot)Now it has made a /dev/lcd0 file, except I wasn't able to write to it... so I had to chmod it (and I have to do this after every boot):chmod 666 /dev/lcd0And now you can output to the display! (But only up to 32 chars, otherwise it'll give you some error)echo -n "Hello" > /dev/lcd0I'm using LMCE 0710 beta 3. I know I need to fix a lot more (like that knob or that infrared thing or the chmod thing) but that's for later


text:
This LED alert app is especially nice for those who like to leave their device on silent/buzz mode. This way you can set the LEDto a color of choice, and when it goes off you will know whether you missed a call, SMS, email, ect, just by looking at the light. For the price, Blink is a good alternative ($3.99) to the more expensive similar apps that are available. Overall good price, good features, and the developer is always on top of updating the app as well. Vikysoft, the creators of Blink, also offer a 7 day free trial. Can't go wrong to pick this one up for your BlackBerry.
CONTEST: VikySoft has given us 20 copies of Blink to giveaway to our BBOS members. Want a free copy? To get entered for a chance to win a free copy, follow the link below and leave us a comment in the Forum. That's it! Contest entry ends Tues April 12th at 12 midnight. Good luck!
- Download Blink for $3.99 in the BlackBerryOS App Store
- See more details about Blink and get entered for a chance to win one free copy


text: Slovak philosophy and political thought from the 19th century to the end of the first Czechoslovak Republic is characterised by various controversies about the character of nation-building thought. The main controversy was the conflict between the conservative and progressive streams. This was represented by controversies which broke out between "Štúrovci" on the one hand and Š. Launer and J. Záborský on the other hand, between the Old and New schools and others. At the end of the 19th century T. G. Masaryk intervened into these ideological controversies in a fundamental way. He influenced a whole generation of Slovak intellectuals and inspired the emergence of a group known as the "Hlasists". The activity of the Hlastists was founded on the basic ideas of Masaryk's philosophy. Against the Hlasists and Masaryk, S. H. Vajanský and F. Jehlička offered fierce opposition. Many of the Hlasists were political representatives in the first Czechoslovak Republic. After the creation of Czechoslovakia in 1918, the main ideological controversy was carried on between the representatives of the Czech orientation (Ivan Dérer, Vavro Šrobár, Milan Hodža) and the so-called autonomists (Andrej Hlinka, Ferdiš Juriga, Martin Rázus). Autonomism presented an endeavour to resist Czech cultural influence.Keywords: Slovak philosophy, T. G. Masaryk, Hlasists, progressivism, conservatism, autonomism


text:
Furiends I have a confession to make… I've been up to mischief all week and I didn't have a chance to interview anyone for Caturday Connections… then there's the other more serious confession of what I did last night…
Dad left a plastic bag of nip on the worktop side and I couldn't resist. I pulled it down onto my special scratching mat and I went to catnip heaven!
The humans looked very shocked when they came into the lounge and saw me in a beautiful catnip mess. By that stage though I was dancing with the catnip fairies and I didn't even care when they laughed at me! Mum swept what she could up and has saved it for another time, but I think I'll need a bit of a nip detox first!
I hope you're all having a very Happy Caturday and that if you're enjoying some nip, you're doing so responsibly. Please don't copy me!
Bisous, Bailey